William Glen
Willliam Glen (14 November 1789 - December 1826) was a Scottish poet. Life Overview Gleg was born in Glasgow, and was for some years in the West Indies. He died in poverty. He wrote several poems, but the only one which has survived is his Jacobite ballad, "Wae's me for Prince Charlie."John William Cousin, "Glen, William," A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature, 1910, 160. Web, Jan. 18, 2018. Youth Glen was born in Queen Street, Glasgow. He belonged to an old Renfrewshire family, and his father was a Russian merchant. After leaving school Glen, about the age of 17, entered a house trading with the West Indies. Career When he had become familiar with the business he went for some years to one of the islands as representative of the firm. Returning to Glasgow he started business for himself, but retired, owing to reverses, in 1814.Bayne, 427. An uncle in Russia now supported him, and his mode of life became rather unsettled. For some time he would appear to have given the rein to his social instincts and his poetic gifts as the laureate of his boon companions. In 1818 he married Catherine Macfarlane, daughter of a Glasgow merchant, and joint-tenant with her brother of a farm at Port Monteith, Perthshire. During most of his remaining years Glen lived there, dependent on his wife's resources and his uncle's generosity, and a general favourite in the district. His old weakness for social amusement and late hours unfortunately still haunted him, and it may have hastened the consumption that ultimately proved fatal. Feeling his end approaching, Glen induced his wife to accompany him to Glasgow, on the conclusive plea that it was "easier to take a living man there than a dead one," and they were not long settled when he died. His wife and only daughter afterwards managed the orphanage at Aberfoyle. Writing As a boy Glen eagerly learned of the fallen house of Stuart, and his pathetic song "Wae's me for Prince Charlie," which is charged with the true Jacobite spirit, constitutes the recognised dirge of the lost cause. Several other songs of Glen's are on occasional themes — such as "The Battle of Vittoria," "The Battle Song," and 3 on Napoleon — and there are love songs and narrative pieces, all more or less meritorious. The Jacobite lament, however, which has made the tune of ‘Johnnie Faa’ its own, stands out so clearly above all the others that Glen is generally known only as the singer of this one song. He published in 1815 a 12mo volume of ‘Poems, chiefly Lyrical,’ and in 1874 Dr. Charles Rogers edited his ‘Poetical Remains,’ with a memoir. Publications Poetry *''Poems: Chiefly lyrical''. Glasgow: privately published, printed by R. Chapman, 1815. Songs on the late battles. 1815.William Glen (1789-1826), English Poetry, 1579-1830, Center for Applied Technologies in the Humanities, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. Web, June 28, 2016. *''The Lonely Isle: A south-sea island tale, in three cantos. Glasgow: privately published, printed by D. Mackenzie, 1816. *''Heath Flowers: Being a collection of poems, chiefly lyrical, written in the Highlands. Glasgow: privately published, printed by D. Mackenzie, 1817. *''Reformiana: a poem''. Glasgow: privately published, printed by R. Chapman, 1817. *''The Star of Brunswick. Lanark, UK: W.M. Borthwick, for Reid & Henderson, 1818. *''The Glasgow Whigs of Eighteen Hundred and Twenty-one: A satirical poem. Glasgow: privately published, 1821. *''The Poetical Remains'' (edited by Charles Rogers). Edinburgh: William Paterson, 1874. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:William Glen, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, June 28, 2016. See also *List of British poets References * . Wikisource, Web, June 28, 2016. Notes External links ;Poems *"The Union Coul Club" *William Glen at PoemHunter (9 poems) ;About *William Glen (1789-1826) at English Poetry, 1579-1830 * Glen, William Category:19th-century poets Category:English-language poets Category:Scottish poets Category:Poets Category:People from Glasgow Category:Poets who died in poverty